State Department Comment on Afghan Rape Survivor Gulnaz

Question: What is the State Department comment regarding reports that Afghan rape survivor Gulnaz is faced with the choice of incarceration or marriage to her rapist? What does this say about the rule of law in Afghanistan?

Answer: Gulnaz’s situation is one no woman should have to face. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Gulnaz and her young daughter.

The Law for the Elimination of Violence Against Women was a major advancement for the rights of women in Afghanistan; but without full training and implementation, situations such as this one will continue to occur. We expect Afghan prosecutors to properly apply the law while also upholding Gulnaz’s rights. The United States and its international partners will continue to work with the Afghan government to promote country-wide rights-based training for lawyers, prosecutors and judges, increase public awareness about women’s rights, and engage with men and boys to make them partners in social justice.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

Sign-in

Do you already have an account on one of these sites? Click the logo to sign in and create your own customized State Department page. Want to learn more? Check out our FAQ!

Because JavaScript is disabled, you can only sign in by entering your OpenID URL manually: